Flying-machine.



E. B. HARRIS & A. ZAMRSKY. FLYING MAGHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED HAR. 1, 1912.

Patented Nov. 12,1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

E. B. HARRIS & A. ZAMRSK'Y.

FLYING MACHINE, f APPLIOATION FILED MAR. 1, 1912,

1,044,382. v Patented N0v.12,19'12.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

A @noma/tom;

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ERNEST B. HARRIS AND ADOLPH ZAlVfRSKY, OF FORT STEVENS, OREGON.

FLYING-MACHINE.

Specication'of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 12, 1912.

Application led March 1, 1912. Serial No. 680,820.

To all whom t 'may concern Beit known that we, ERNEST B. HARRIS, a

citizen of `the United States, and AnoLrHl ZAMRSKY, a subject of the Emperor of Austria-Hungary, residing at `Fort Stevens, in the county of Clatsop and State of Oregon, have invented new and useful Improvements in Flying-Machines, of which the following is a specification. This invention relates to flying machines, and particularly to means for automatically restoring and maintaining the lateral balance or equilibrium thereof.

One object of the invention is to provide a supporting plane or surface which is adapted to adjust itself automatically when the machine tilts laterally in either direction to warp or flex downward a portion of the wing at the depressed side for an elevating action and correspondingly warp or lflex upward a portion of the wing at the elevated side for a depressing action.

A further object of the invention is to provide a supporting surface of the character described which is automatically movable in part to increase the angle of incidence of the depressed wing in a positive direction and increase the angle of incidence of the elevated wing in a negative direction when the lateral balance of the machine is disturbed, to secure a -pcsitive lifting action at the depressed side of the machine and a positive depressing action at the elevated side of the machine, whereby a quick restoration of the machine to a normal balanced position lis insured andsecured.

A-further object of the invent-ion is to Aprovide a supporting. surface of the character set forth whichwill automatically return to normal position when the machine is restored to a state of equilibrium after said surface has been adjusted to counteract the tilting motion of the machine.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a biplane structure whose upper plane or surface is constructed and mounted to performthe functions-above set forth, and which is adapted for use upon any conventional type of machine'.

The invention consists of the features of construction, combination and arrangement vof .parts, hereinafter fully described and claimed, reference beingA liadt-o the accompanying drawings, in which j i Figure 1 is a perspective view of the supporting surfaces of a biplane machine having its upper supporting surface constructed in accordance with our invention, the View being taken at a point looking upwardly to-` ward the rear of the supporting surfaces. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation showing in dotted lines the adjustment of the up er supporting surface when the machine tilts laterally in one direction. Fig. 3 is a similar .view

showing the adjustment'of the supportingsurface when the machine t-ilts laterally in the oppos1te direction. Figs. 4 and 5 are vertical fore and aftsections on the lines 4 4 and 5 5 of Figs 2 and 8. Fig. 6 is a faceview of one of the telescoping tubular stanchi on sections.

'In the illustrated exemplification of our invention as embodied in a biplane structure, 1 and 2 designate the upper and lower supporting planes or surfaces, each comprising front and rear wing bars or spars 3 and 4, a series of ribs 5 and a covering of fabric or other suitable flexible material 6.

The front wing bars 3 of the supporting surfaces are rigidly connected by a row of strutsor stanchions 7 which extend continuously between them, while the rear wing bars 4 of the supporting surfaces are connected by a central continuous strut 8, to which the rear wing bar of the upper surface 2 is pivoted, as at 9, and a series of 4telescopic struts or stanchions composed of rods or posts 10 fixed to the lower wing bar 4 and tubular upper sections 11 slidably engaging the rods or posts 10 and fixed to the wing bar 4 of the upper supporting surface. The rear wing bar of the upper plane is 'thus mounted to tilt vertically upon an axis 9 arranged parallel with the line of flight, so that either wing of the upper supporting surface is adapted under excess air pressure to be flexed or warped helicoidally upward in rear of the diagonal center thereof, while the other wing is adapted to be simultaneously flexed or warped downwardly in a similar manner, to negatively increase the angle of incidence at the elevated'side for a depressing actio-nof the air thereon, and to positively increase the angle of incidence at the depressed side for a lifting action of the air thereon, whereby the machine will be'automatically restored, on tilting in one direction or the other, toa normally 4balanced position and its equilibrium thereby 'pivotally or otherwise flexibly connected with the wings bars 3 and 4, except at the center where the rib extending between the central continuous front and rear struts/is fixed to the struts in any suitable manner. Ihe telescopic sections l1 of the rear set of struts o stanchions progressively increase in length outward from the center toward the lateral margins of the supporting surface, to accord with their required extent of adjustment on the strut sections 10 to accord with the .arc of movement of the wings of the upper plane or supporting surface. These tubes are rovided in their front faces with longitudinal slots 12 which receive connecting members 13 on the forward ends of the adjacent ribs, which members are fitted to slide vertically in the slots and provided with eyes 14 movable within the tubes. Inclosed within each tube is a coiled contractile spring 15 secured at its lower end to the xed strut section 10 and at its upper end to the eye 14 of the connecting member 13 of the adjacent rib, such springs serving to hold the 'wings of the plane 'or surface 2 in normal posltion and to resist to a certain extent upward movement ofl either wing under air pressure. The tubes have ai slight longitudinal curvature -to adapt them to have free and easy movement on the fixed strut sections, and are pivotally coupled by the connecting members 13 to the ribs to allow them to assume the required angular positions relative to the supporting surface 2 in the up and down adjustments of the wings of the latter. y L

It will be understood from the foregoing description that the wings of the surface 2 are maintained in normal horizontal. posi` tion against the pressure of the air by the weight of the plane and action of the sprin s 15, but that when excess air pressure fills upon either wing the rear diagonal half of the wing will be forced upward, while under the ensuing movement of the bar 4 the rear diagonal half of the opposite wing will be forced downward, thus warping theL surfaces of the wings fcr an automatic balancing action. This action .will occur when the machine'tilts laterally in either direction to a greater or less extent, whereby the equilibrium of the machine will be restored and automatically maintained at all times.

In'the adaptation ofthe invention to a biplane structure, the usual truss wires 1 6 may be employed. Where the inventlon 1s embodied in a monoplane structure, the sup- Al'ace comprising a flexible bo porting ysurface 2 will be mounted the manner described upon equivalent supports constituting a part of the main frame of the machine.

Having thus described the invention, what .we claim as new is facecomprising a .flexible bodyl .havmg a fixed front .wing bar and a centrally pivoted rear wing bar, and means including springs for yieldin ly supporting the rear wing bar.A 3. In a; ying machine, a supporting surface comprising a exible body, a fixed front wing bar, a centrally pivoted rear wing bar, nd telescopic supports for said rear wing 4. 'In a iying machine, a supporting sura rigid front wing bar, a centrally. ivoted rear wing bar, telescopic supports or said rear wing bar, and springs associated with said supports for normally maintaining the rear wing bar in a horizontal position.

5. In a flying machine, a frame structure composed of front and rear sets of stanchions, upper and lower supporting surfaces connected thereby, the upper supportin surface com rising a flexible body, a ixe front wing ar secured to the front stanchion, a rear wing bar centrally pivoted to the intermediate front stanchion, fiexible ribsconnecting said bars, supporting members carried by the rear wing bar`and telescopically engaging the remainin rear stanchions, and springs inclosed in said telescopic supporting members and connecting i Witnesses:

J. J. RANDALL, WM. B. YOUNG. 

